U.S. officials visit Tirana as part of regional tour to discuss counterterrorism cooperation
TIRANA, Jan. 29 – The U.S. Embassy in Tirana said Monday that an interagency delegation, including representatives from the U.S. Departments of State, Justice, Homeland Security, and the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center would visit to meet with top officials in the country נPresident Bujar Nishani, Prime Minister Edi Rama and other Albanian officials נ”to discuss counterterrorism cooperation.”
The delegation is making a regional tour at a time when there is growing concern in the Western Balkans about people from the region’s Muslim communities joining the fight in Syria’s civil war, some as part of the most extreme Islamic forces in that conflict.
“Albania is one of several countries in the region the delegation is visiting. The visit is occurring in the framework of continuing close cooperation and consultation with Albania, our NATO ally, on a range of common security challenges our countries face,” the embassy said in a statement.
There are no official figures but it is believed that scores of Albanians have been recruited and are fighting along the rebel groups in Syria. Some are believed to be fighting as part the most extreme Islamic forces there, something that has Albanian security officials alarmed about the potential danger to Albanian society once they return home radicalized.
The government has not issued any official statements on the matter, but the official body governing Islam in Albania, the Albanian Muslim Community, has openly called on Albanians not to take part in the conflict.
On Wednesday, local newspapers reported that a 28-year old Albanian, named Bledar Hamza, was shot dead in Syria. His family notified by his wife, who is also living in Syria. Hamza had gone there 18 months ago and after six months he had told his wife to join him there. They have a two-year old daughter and are expecting a second child, Albanian media reported.
